Cowl for fans



May 29, 1951 o. A. SUTTON 2,554,602

COWL. FOR FANS Filed Oct. lO, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 O. A. SUTTON COWLFOR FANS May 29, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. l0l 1949 INVENTOR. 6uz of? patented May 29, 1.951

COWL FOR FANS Ottis A. Sutton, Wichita, Kans., assignor to The O. A.Sutton Corporation, Inc., Wichita, Kans.,

a corporation of Kansas Application October 10, 19 49, Serial No.120,504

1 Claim. l

My present invention relates to a cowl for a fan, the same comprising ahollow annulus of aerofoil cross-section having its sharp end of largerdiameter than its blunt end whereby air may be moved through the cowl byan impeller without excessive turbulence. The present'application isconcerned with an improvement in the cowl and in the method ofmanufacturing the cowl whereby great economies in manufacturing expenseare achieved and more eilicient, quiet operation of the fan is achieved.

The foregoing and other objects and advan- .tages of the presentinvention will be more readily ascertained from inspection of thefollowing specification taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, while thefeatures of novelty will be more distinctly pointed out in the appendedclaim.

In the drawings,

Fig.V 1 is a front elevation of a fan embodying the cowl of the presentinvention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken substantially along line 2-2 of Fig.1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the outer ring of the cowl;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the inner ring of the cowl;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section thro-ugh apparatus for uniting the tworings to form the cowl; and Fig. 6 is a plan view of the apparatusillustrated in Fig. 5.

The present invention is herein illustrated as comprising a portion of afan having details illustrated and claimed in my concurrently executedapplications Serial Nos. 120,502 and 120,503, but it is to beappreciated that the present invention may be utilized in other types offans.

The fan herein illustrated comprises a base l from which a pair of yokearms II extend upright in spaced relation to embrace the cowl I2. Thecowl I2 comprises a hollow annulus formed by complementarilyinterlocking an outer ring I3 having substantially the shape of thesurface of a spherical zone and an inner ring I4 comprising a belledannulus. The two rings are interlocked by providing an inwardly directedperipheral ange I on the smaller end of the outer ring which is capableof snugly tting within the smaller end of the inner ring, and, afterinterfitting the two rings in this fashion, bending or rolling theopposite end of the outer ring over the larger end of the inner ring toprovide a llange I6 embracing the inner ring.

Prior to assembling the two rings, means are Athe ring.

provided on each ring for supporting the cowl and for mounting airimpelling apparatus and the like within the cowl. As herein illustrated,the cowl supporting means preferably comprises a plurality of nuts I'Iwelded, soldered, or otherwise aixed to the inner surface of the ring I3in concentric relation to openings I8 through Complementary threadedfastening members I9 in the ends of the arms II may extend through theopenings I8 into cooperative association with the nuts Il whereby thecowl is mounted in position with respect to the base I0. Preferably inaccordance with the present invention there are a pair of cowl mountingmeans, one on each side of the cowl along a diameter thereof, so thatthe cowl max7 be canted to various angular positions 'with respect tothe horizontal. .f

.Preferably the mounting means for the air impeller comprises aplurality of nuts 25 welded, soldered or otherwise affixed to the outersurface of the inner ring in concentric relation to openings 2Iextending therethrough, and cooperatively engaged threaded fasteningmembers 22 which may extend through the openings 2l into engagement withthe nuts 20. A plurality of such mounting means may be provided forholding the endsof radially extending arms 23 which are connected to aring 25 surrounding a motor 26, the connection preferably 'being bymeans of a screw 2'! passing through lugs 28 on the ring 25 and theinner ends of the arms 23 into engagement with nuts 29, the arms 23 and28 being spaced apart by resilient washers 30. Each of the arms 23 maybe offset at an intermediate point as indicated at 3| so as toconcentrically locate a flaring air-guiding funnel 35 which divides theinlet end of the fan into a plurality of inwardly tapering, curved airpassages. Preferably the funnel 35 is supported through the medium ofresilient grommets 3S. The motor 26 includes a forwardly projectingshaft 40 upon which is mounted the hub 4I of a bladed impeller includingradially extending blades 42. The arms 23 are so arranged with respectto the cowl as to support the impeller for rotation about the axis ofthe cowl in the region of the smaller end thereof, and to support thefunnel 35 so that its larger end projects rearwardly from the larger endof the cowl and its inner end extends into the larger end of the cowl towithin a short distance of the blades of the fan.

Other mounting members may be associated with the inner ring such as thegrille mounting members 45 comprising a plurality of leaf springs havinga portion fastened to the outer surface of the inner ring by means ofrivets 46 extending through openings therein and having their free endsbent laterally and projecting into the ring through openings 41. Each ofthe members 45 engages an end of a radial rod 48 forming a portion of afront grille. The members 45 are associated with the inner ring prior toitsA as'- sembly to the outer ring. It is to be appreciated that each ofthe rings may be formed in a single stamping operation from a flat sheetof metal and, if desired, the die so employed may punch. the openingswith which are associated the 'vaious mounting members. A minimumamountA of labor is thus required to" provide an aeiofoil f cowl whichmay be incorporated into a fan of l the character disclosed.

As will be seen clearly in 5', the two rings Y springs 63 extend betweenpins on adjacent sec@V tors, with the springs being arrangedsubstantially along chords of a circle soA that normally the sec-` torswill have their radial edges in engagement and the diameter of thecircle will be constricted to permit insertion of the ring into thecup-.-`

t expanding wedge member 64 is disposed concentrically within the bedEl) at the upper end of an operating rod 65 extending through a centra-lopening 66 in therbottom of the cup.y Means (not shown) of any suitablenature may be pro-VY vided to reciprocate the rod 65 so as to forcevthechuck jaws outwardly against the tension of the springs to clamp theouter ring in position. The inner ring is then fitted into the outer andthe protruding edge of the outer ring is anged inwardly over the largeend of the inner ring. Means for accomplishing this operation prefer--Aably comprise a rotatable and vertically movable shaft T0, the lower endof whichy supports a cross# b ar ll. Each end of the crossbar H supportsa fianging roller 12 having an annular anging.,

groove 73 therein suitable for the purpose of rolling the edge of theouter ring over the edge of the inner ring. Apparatus which may beadapted to this purpose with a minimum 0f modification is of the typecommonly known as a drill press. By means of such apparatus the rollers12 may be lowered into engagement with the edge of the ring and rapidlyrevolved while downward pressure is being exerted. It will be observedthat by this method a firmly united assembly may be created since notonly is the flange formed on the inlet end of the cowl but pressure maybe cirerted to cause the inner ring to be firmly gripped between theflanges of the outer ring.

'aving illustrated and described a preferred embodiment oftll'ev presentinvention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that theinventiri permits of `modification in arrangement and detail. I claim asmy invention all such modiiications as come within the true spirit andscp'e of the appended claim.

I claim:

A fan comprising a cowl, saidcowl comprising a hollow annulu's formed oftwo'interl'o'ckeds'heetmetal ringshaving their ends joined together',the outer of said rings' being substantially ifi the shape of thesurface of a spherical. zone and .the

inner of said rings comprising a b'elled annulus, each of said' ringshaving a. plurality of small openings therethrough,- a plfilial-ityY ofnu-ts mounted on the innerY surface of each of said rings with each ofsaid nuts surrounding one of said openings, means for supporting saidcowl come pris'ing threaded fastening members eik-tending tllrouglhY theopenings inY saidouter ring and cof pe'iftively engaged Z(71th the'asscittd therewith, air propelling I'neari-sI mounted `co'-` aii'iall-ywithin said cowl, and means for support:V ing said propelling meanscomprising a plurality of threaded fastening metri-bers extendingthrough the openings in said inner ring' and cooperatively engaged withthe nuts associated'etherewith'.V

o'iTIs A. SUTTON-L REFERENCES CITED VThe following references are' ofrecord in' the me of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Bate'

